Knut Vaage: Røter Bergen Big Band & Frode Grytten

• Knut Vaage (b. 1961): Røter 2 Part I:
• 1 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Introduction 1 and 2 00:42
• 2 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Roots I and Introduction 3 00:41
• 3 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Tenor solo I and Interlude 1 02:09
• 4 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text Part 1a 01:18
• 5 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Interlude 2 and Guitar solo 02:42
• 6 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text part Ib and Interlude 3 01:16
• 7 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text part Ic and Interlude 4 00:51
• 8 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text Part 1d and Interlude 5 (Soprano saxophone solo) 02:14
• 9 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Pling plong impro 02:54
• 10 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text Part 1e and Interlude 6 00:51
• 11 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text Part 1f, Interlude 7 and Text Part Ig 01:39
• 12 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Interlude 8a (Flute solo) 01:47
• 13 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Interlude 8b 01:01
• 14 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text Part 1h, Guitar Fragments and Text Part Ii 01:12
• 15 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Interlude 9a (Free jazz piano solo) 02:43
• 16 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Interlude 9b and Text Part Ij 00:36
• 17 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Interlude 10, Text Part Ik and Interlude 11 00:32
• 18 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text Part 1l 00:39
• 19 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Interlude 12 (Bass solo) 02:00
• 20 Vaage: Røter 2 Part I: Text Part 1m and Interlude 13 01:13
• Røter 2 Part II:
• 21 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Roots II and Interlude 14 00:43
• 22 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Roots III and Interlude 15a 00:34
• 23 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 15b (Vibraphone solo) 02:10
• 24 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 15c, 15d and Text Part IIa 00:44
• 25 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 16 00:50
• 26 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Text Part IIb 00:38
• 27 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 17a 00:37
• 28 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 17b (Alto saxophone solo) 01:31
• 29 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Text part IIc, Interlude 18a (Flugelhorn solo) and Interlude 18b 02:28
• 30 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 18c (Tenor solo II) 01:16
• 31 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 18d 00:44
• 32 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 18e Ping pong impro and Text part IId 01:52
• 33 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 19a (Baritone saxophone solo) 01:47
• 34 Vaage: Røter 2 Part II: Interlude 19b Drum solo 01:49
• Røter 2 Part III:
• 35 Vaage: Røter 2 Part III: Text Part IIIa, Text Part IIIb and Interlude 20 00:41
• 36 Vaage: Røter 2 Part III: Text Part IIIc and Interlude 21 00:38
• 37 Vaage: Røter 2 Part III: Text Part IIId and Interlude 22 00:36
• 38 Vaage: Røter 2 Part III: Text Part IIIe and Interlude 23 00:35
• 39 Vaage: Røter 2 Part III: Text Part IIIf, Interlude 24 and Coda 01:38
• Total Runtime 50:51

Info for Knut Vaage: Røter

Bergen Big Band is one of the leading and most vital big bands in Norway. With roots reaching back to the 1970s and a strong tradition of innovation, commissioned works, and artistic collaborations, the band has evolved into a powerhouse within the Norwegian jazz scene. Over the years, the BBB has shared the stage with international luminaries such as Chris Potter, Diana Krall, and Marius Neset, and has made appearances at major international festivals.

When Bergen Big Band presents Røter, it is more than just a concert—it is an immersive experience where jazz, poetry, and video art merge into a powerful and profoundly human work. Featuring music by Knut Vaage, text by Frode Grytten, and video art by Anne Marthe Dyvi, *Røter II* exists in the borderland between contemporary music, big band jazz, and the performing arts.

The work draws its inspiration from the very roots of jazz—a musical form born out of migration, pain, resistance, and cultural encounters. At the same time, it turns its gaze toward our own era: people forced to flee, roots being torn up, and the new communities that emerge when different cultures meet.

The music ranges from intimate, fragile moments to explosive outbursts and driving jazz passages. Vaage’s composition provides space for the full breadth of Bergen Big Band’s expressive range—from warm, expansive soundscapes and the raw energy of free jazz to echoes of the classic big band tradition. Meanwhile, Grytten’s distinctive poetic voice is seamlessly woven into the music, while Dyvi’s video art drifts in and out of the various textures of the music and text, conjuring evocative and striking atmospheres. *Røter* premiered at the Bergen International Festival in 2022 to an enthusiastic reception and was subsequently nominated for the 2024 Music Publishers’ Prize (*Musikkforleggerprisen*) in the "Work of the Year" category. The piece has now also been recorded and is set for release on an album via LAWO Classics in the autumn of 2026. This concert at Stord Jazz Club will serve as the launch event for the new album.

Bergen Big Band
Frode Grytten, direction

Please Note: We have deliberately chosen not to offer this album at 192 kHz. Our analysis of the frequency spectrum has clearly shown that the signal content does not justify such a high sampling rate. We are therefore making the album available at 96 kHz.

Bergen Big Band
is a professional big band established in 1991. Its roots trace back to the "Bergen Band" of the 1970s. The ensemble was founded by the late saxophonist Olav Dale, who served as its musical director and driving force until 2014. The band remains committed to Olav’s original vision—striving to be innovative and relevant—while keeping the big band tradition close to its heart. ​

Over the past 30 years, BBB has performed at some of the world’s most prominent jazz festivals, collaborating with many of the globe’s leading jazz artists, including Nils Petter Molvær, Paquito D’Rivera, Diana Krall, Chris Potter, Terje Rypdal, Palle Mikkelborg, Erlend Skomsvoll, Phil Woods, Django Bates, Andy Sheppard, Karin Krog, John Surman, Arild Andersen, Jon Balke, Joe Henderson, Marius Neset, and Maria Schneider. ​

As one of Norway’s premier professional big bands, BBB continuously seeks to evolve through collaborations with influential composers and jazz artists. The band is also deeply committed to fostering musical communities by organizing courses and workshops for young musicians in the region. Bergen Big Band has released seven albums and received a nomination for a Spellemann Award (the Norwegian Grammy equivalent) for their 2005 album, *Seagull*.

Knut Vaage
is a trained pianist and composer from the Grieg Academy in Bergen. Vaage writes in several styles, both instrumental music, opera and theater music, but with the main emphasis on improvisation and contemporary music. He is known for exploring the boundaries between improvisation and composition. Central among Vaage's instrumental works is his extensive production of orchestral music. It includes works such as "Janus", "Relief", "The Gardens of Hokkaido", "Chatter" and "Chaconne", premiered by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; "Mylder" and "Rite", premiered by KORK; "Reflex", premiered by Orkester Norden; "Kyklop", premiered by the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra; and "Orkesterdialogar", "Hidden songs" and "Continue", premiered by the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. Chamber music is an important part of Vaage's production. "Svev" for piano trio, was premiered by the Valen Trio. "Bumerang" was premiered by Nidaro's string quartet. "Movements" and "Odyssé" for sinfonietta, were premiered by the BIT20 Ensemble. "Transit" was commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture and premiered by Ensemble Court-circuit. Vaage's cross-genre work for big band "Roots" was commissioned and premiered by Bergen Big Band, with text by Frode Grytten and video by Anne Marthe Dyvi. ("Roots 2" is the tour version). Of works for wind instruments, "Graffiti" for brass band and "Breaking Another Wall" for wind ensemble can be mentioned. For "Graffiti" he received the Edvard prize for 2003. Development of a hybrid acoustic/electronic soundscape is a central theme in Vaage's compositional work. In "Electra", the "multiMORF" series and in "Futuration", he has worked closely with sound designer Thorolf Thuestad to expand the sound spectrum of the instruments through extensive use of electronics. "Futuration" for orchestra and electronics was premiered by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in December 2015.

Knut Vaage has written several vocal works and works for the stage. His first opera, "Someone Is Going To Come", is based on Jon Fosse’s play of the same name. It was the first opera made upon a text by Fosse. The work was premiered by Opera Vest at the Ultima Festival in the autumn of 2000 and received excellent reviews from domestic and international press. The opera has been translated into English and German and performances have taken place in Germany and Luxembourg. "Winter Song" from 2017/2020, to words by Hanne Bramness, exists in two versions: one for counter-tenor and one for mezzo-soprano, both with baroque ensemble. In 2010 Collegium Musicum premiered "Song of Solomo" for soloists, choir and orchestra. "Khairos", a full-scale opera, was conceived together with librettist Torgeir Rebolledo Pedersen. The work was commissioned by the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet and received its first performance in 2013. Rebolledo Pedersen also wrote the libretto to "Veslefrikk", a family opera in one act first performed in September 2010 by Den Nye Opera; "Veslefrikk" was awarded the ARTE audience prize for best production. Vaage created the music for Hordaland teater’s production of "Per Gynt" and Den Nasjonale Scenes production of "The White Devil" by John Webster. Promoting contemporary music in a wider context has been a regular activity of Vaage’s, participating in several projects aimed at the young and at amateur choirs and orchestras. Vaage has been a board member of the Norwegian Composers’ Society, he was leader of the Bergen branch of Ny Musikk, and he has been artistic director of the Autunnale festival and the "Avgarde" concert series, also both based in Bergen. Vaage was awarded The Lindeman Prize for 2024, and nominated for «Spellemann», TONO’s Composer Prize 2024.

“His sensual sonorities are often so beautiful that they motivate you to stretch your ear into the orchestra and listen to the advanced nuances and variations with which he paints.” - Magnus Andersson

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